I remembered how much I liked paint by numbers when I was a kid, maybe because I was the kind of kid who always colored inside the lines, and “freestyle” painting just seemed like a free-for-all to me. I started that way with poetry, too, thinking Robert Frost was right when he said that writing free verse was like playing tennis with the net down. Then I felt as if I were being restrained and sought to find my own “voice,” as so many poets do. Then I realized I could write in many different voices and styles, that my poetry would evolve over time. I would just need to keep learning and experimenting. I’m glad that I decided to try paint by numbers again. I’m going to frame this to remind myself that I don’t have to be good at something to do it. I can just do it for fun (and relaxation, as I found this very relaxing, especially while listening to music).